


A Mystery of Human/Demonic Nature

by Sethrine



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: F/M, Gen, Gender-neutral Reader, M/M, Other, Poisoning, Secrets, Tea, Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-26 14:49:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21375877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sethrine/pseuds/Sethrine
Summary: You have information about certain matters that you’re sure V will be quite interested in. Even so, there are certain precautions that must be taken.
Relationships: V (Devil May Cry)/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 49





	A Mystery of Human/Demonic Nature

**Author's Note:**

> This is something that I’ve had in my head for months and was finally, finally able to get it written out. Originally, I intended to write this with Vergil in mind, but V decided he was a better fit, lolz! I hope you enjoy, all the same!
> 
> Let me know what you guys think!

Normally, you preferred your meetings in very open, public places filled with boisterous, unsuspecting individuals -  _ witnesses, _ more like. Clients could be so unreliable, and trusting them to keep collected in a more secluded setting had never played out as nicely as promised.

Two prior mistakes had taught you that.

The people you dealt with didn't much care for "loose ends," as they called it, and you proved to be one who held far too valuable information that could end up in the hands of very seedy individuals, should they bother to track you down. What information they wanted, you could provide, but many believed your life was a necessary sacrifice to cut all ties that would trace back to that moment you gave them the necessary tidbits they needed.

Time and time again, however, you proved to be quite the resilient little cockroach, one that planted seeds of information into the hands of individuals who were able to seek you out, or, more often, those you found had a similar moral outlook as yourself.

Those individuals, you sought out, yourself.

It happened to be one of those times, and yet you found yourself alone on the secluded balcony of a 24-hour café, overlooking the quiet, sleeping city of Redgrave as you awaited your confidante to arrive.

You had met there, before, during a beautiful sunny day several weeks previous. In fact, many meetings with other clients had happened in that very cafe, in broad daylight as the city bustled and customers chatted and laughed amongst themselves freely, unaware of the extremely secret, highly dangerous information being shared within quiet words and semi-coded documents.

Logically, there was no difference as to how you were approaching the situation at that moment, save for your want for seclusion. Realistically, you knew what you were doing was special treatment, and your safety was compromised because of it.

He was different.

The thought alone was frightening.

You heaved a sigh, closing your eyes momentarily to ease the chaos that was your mind.. There was time to worry about such trivial things later. You were strictly there for business.

"A Wallflower on a balcony, basking in the moon's light? A change of pace I didn't see coming."

You gasped lightly and turned almost too quickly, feeling your heart flutter at finally seeing  _ him _ there before you.

V, the mysterious one, perhaps even more mysterious than what others believed you to be.

They didn't know what you knew.

"And yet, a fitting setting. Little Wallflower, you do surprise me."

"You came," you murmured, watching as his plush lips turned upward at your surprise.

"You called," he said simply, cane tapping lightly against polished wood as he approached your table.

"Yes, well, after last week-" you paused as he sat on the opposite side of you, a moment of clarity, "-perhaps that's best left for another time."

V hummed at your dismissal, saying nothing more on the matter but knowing all the same what you had recalled. The silence that followed was broken only when a waiter appeared with a tea set, the steam from the spout of the decorated teapot swirling into the cool night air.

You thanked the waiter, watching as he retreated back into the café. With a small sigh, you reached into the pocket of your coat, pulling out a tiny tin and opening it up to retrieve what looked like an equally as tiny white pill.

As you popped the little pod into your mouth, your eyes caught V's gaze, a single dark brow raised in question.

"Don't worry, it's a mint," you clarified with a smile that didn't quite reach your eyes. "Would you like one?"

"I'll pass," he answered smoothly, and you were quick to shut the tin and replace it within your coat pocket.

"My grandpa used to sneak me one before tea time, back when I despised the bitter flavors some of the older generation seemed to enjoy," you explained. "Even with milk and sugar, I hated the tea, but grandpa's peppermints always made it taste better."

"How very nostalgic of you," V spoke, his stare vibrant and curious, "do you share such information often with, ah...those you seek out?"

"Clients," you supplied while reaching for the teapot, "and only when it's necessary."

"An honor, then," he surmised, watching as you poured the tea into both provided teacups.

V reached for the cup you offered him and brought it to his lips, blowing at the steam a moment before having a taste of the amber liquid within. A grimace lit his features, and you couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

"I do recommend just a touch of sugar, for this blend," you said, showing V the small dash you were adding to your own. "Takes away the bitter just fine."

"Even without the mint?"

You smiled and reached over to add the same dash of sugar into V's cup, watching as he stirred the hot tea and once again brought it to his lips. He looked down into the cup with a hint of amused surprise, going in for another sip as you did the same.

The next couple of minutes were comprised of baseless chatter, something to fill the quiet as you both sipped at your cups and enjoyed the relative peace of the night. It was in those moments that you almost wished for what life could have offered you,  _ should  _ have offered you.

You wondered if he felt the same.

You pondered if he was as understanding as you hoped.

"I take it you didn't call me at such an hour simply for small chat and tea," V finally spoke after a long drag of silence. You shifted in your chair, placing your teacup on the table.

"I've recently come into some information I believe will be beneficial to your recent matters," you began.

"And what matters do you refer to?"

"The recent disappearance of witchcraft users you've been following."

At your words, V gave pause, the slightest hitch in his movements as he lowered his teacup the only indicator that he was affected at all. He played it off rather well, but you weren't one to miss the small details.

"You're very good with your research, it seems," he mused, but you could practically feel how cautious he was suddenly playing.

"I always am," you countered quietly, catching his gaze and holding it for a long moment.

"You've already figured out the  _ who _ , the  _ where, _ and part of the  _ why,  _ but there's still something missing, isn't there?"

"It was a small cult built on the obsession of more power and the need to obtain it via sacrifice and ritual, using those deemed as witches as the conduits between the mortal plane and that of the demon world," V recounted.

"But they couldn't do it, could they?"

"Their rituals were off, so it seemed," V admitted, eyes closing as if in thought. "No summoning of demons or opening of portals, just the slaughter of innocent lives, as is common for such damnable recreations."

"Didn't that strike you as odd?"

V's eyes narrowed a fraction, curious and cautious, and rightfully so.

"Questions upon questions, and yet, Little Wallflower, you claim to have nothing but answers and information.

"Perhaps I'm just trying to get you to think more critically on what it was you missed."

You watched as V blinked once, twice, a slightly confused expression gracing his lovely features. The large expanse of his hands flattened out against the glass tabletop, on either side of his half-empty teacup.

"I'm not sure I understand."

With slow deliberation, you reached once more into your coat pocket on the opposite side, retrieving a neatly folded piece of paper. You unfurled the crisp printer stationary, exposing the copy of older text and imagery you'd printed upon it several hours ago, and placed it upon the table, sliding it over to V.

"I believe this is what they're after."

V's expression changed almost immediately as his eyes roved over the paper, no doubt focused on the black and white image shown.

An amulet, and its twin.

"That's...not possible," he muttered, his voice taking on a hint of disbelief, and hint of a slur. "They were destroyed many years ago-"

"And yet, this cult seems very adamant that they can find these amulets," you murmured, "which means there's something they know that we don't."

You reached for the paper just as V made to do the same, though his movement was sluggish, and it seemed as if his hand was suddenly three times it's normal weight, with how he allowed it to slump back against the table. He looked to you as you stared at him, his gaze that of betrayal.

You, at least, had the decency to feel somewhat ashamed.

"What...what did you…?"

"You should have taken the mint," you explained gently, following his gaze back down to his cup.

"It's a special blend," you explained as you stood, moving to stand next to V's incapacitated form, "one I had to do careful research to create. I promise it won't last long, and there's no adverse side-effects that follow. Please, understand that I needed to take special precautions."

You reached out and pressed your palm against his cool, pale cheek, leading his heated glare to meet your sympathetic gaze.

"I know who and what you are," you whispered, not accusing, simply stating. V only blinked slowly, perhaps unable to show his surprise behind his sudden contempt; perhaps not wanting to give you the satisfaction of catching him off-guard.

"And I'm afraid I'm not the wallflower you think of me. Others would liken me to a fly on the wall, a nosey little nuisance, always there, always watching, listening. There one minute, gone the next, no one the wiser except for the few who know where to look."

You lean in, expression grave and imploring.

"Stop looking for me, V. There's nothing but danger in my shadows, and the more you linger, the bigger the target on your own back becomes."

Slowly, you pulled away, allowing V's head to tilt back into a neutral position. He would be fine after a few minutes, just long enough for you to make your quiet escape, back amongst the unknown.

It was hard to leave him behind.

"I'll find you when I have more information," you assured as you began walking away, pausing at the entranceway leading back into the cozy little café you often visited.

Business, as usual, even under special circumstances.

"Be careful, out there," you called out sincerely. "There are far more dangerous monsters than just demons. Who know? You may have met one, already."

\---

The quiet settled in around V as he coasted on the lethargy of his poisoning. True to your word, the effects lasted no more than a few extra minutes, the sluggish feeling all but dissipating as the seconds ticked by.

Griffon appeared against his shoulder as he stood, feathers ruffling as the demonic bird gave an indignant squawk.

"You should have let me stick around for that shitshow! The nerve of that human, geez!"

V ignored his ruffled familiar's outburst, focusing instead on the piece of paper you had left behind amongst the tea set, the only true sign that the encounter with you had ever happened.

V mused to himself as he picked up the paper, refolding and pocketing the tidbit of information for later. He followed your initial path back into the café, thanking the clerk there for a pleasant evening before strolling out into the night.

It seemed as if he had some research of his own to do, and not just of the amulets you had given him information on.

_ 'Oh, Little Wallflower, what secrets are you hiding?' _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> As always, see ya around!


End file.
